Pagan Gods and omnipotence (Jesus Christ, ritual, Creator, tradition, beliefs)

[Mike182]

This is a same faith debate for people of all pagan spiritualities to respond to, but please no out side points of views - if you have a point you feel you really must make, either PM a pagan or start a new thread

are the Pagan gods omnipotent?

i personally don't think the Pagan Gods are omnipotent, i think we would have some problems if they are because i see them as individual entites with individual wills, and the contrasting wills of two omnipotent entites will inevitably cause extreme chaos in the universe. (i define chaos as the whole universe tearing apart into non-existence, because the conflict between two omnipotent deities would, in my oppinion, do that.)

my oppinion on this, however, has not been finalised, so, do you believe the Pagan Gods are omnipotent? if so, how do you get around the idea that the conflicting wills of the Gods will inevitably cause extreme chaos?

if you do not think they are omnipotent, does this take away from their Godly status? how else can you define deity without omnipotence?

[Zephyr]

My gods certainly not omnipotent. They make so many mistakes they are almost human. You could say that they are human in a sense, inside our folk.

[Fluffy]

Since omnipotence is generally associated with monotheism and paganism usually comes in various forms of polytheism, I think it would be fairly straightforward to say that the belief in an omnipotent being is not the norm in paganism.

For example, if we look back to classical and ancient paganism, the stories and myths are rife with incidents where one god has been outdone by another. Even in cases where there has been a "king" god (such as Zeus), this being has seemed a slave to various other forces (in this case the force of fate).

Neo-paganism, in my opinion, is more likely to contain omnipotence, in my opinion, since it has its roots in what had been a Christian dominated culture for a thousand years. However, the rationalists and freethinkers dealt many hefty blows to traditional Christianity (see the revisions made by Christians today in terms of free will, hell, Satan, God, sex etc.) and so if omnipotence does feature in a neo-pagan's beliefs, they are likely to still be in a small minority.

I have only rarely encountered a pagan who has believed in an omnipotent being.

[Mike182]

Originally Posted by Fluffy

For example, if we look back to classical and ancient paganism, the stories and myths are rife with incidents where one god has been outdone by another. Even in cases where there has been a "king" god (such as Zeus), this being has seemed a slave to various other forces (in this case the force of fate).

that's pretty much my train of thought on this.

[Willamena]

Originally Posted by Mike182

so, do you believe the Pagan Gods are omnipotent? if so, how do you get around the idea that the conflicting wills of the Gods will inevitably cause extreme chaos?

if you do not think they are omnipotent, does this take away from their Godly status? how else can you define deity without omnipotence?

The "conflicting wills" of the gods were more contrasting and competing. They did not will things in the same way the Abrahamic God is given to these days: what they will did not immediately manifest (they were not all creator gods, though they did all create).

I do believe that they were given to be omnipotent, but not in the same way that the Abrahamic God is given to be today. They had all the power of our imagination at their fingertips.

[Felix]

I think Gods are based off of one's experiences and are figures acknowledged by certain cultures. I think that cultures based and still base their Gods off of human figures.

In that case, I definetly don't think the Gods are omnipotent. I do not treat the Gods I follow as if they're omnipotent. I talk, sing, chant, pray to them, the same way I would to a person.

[enchanted_one1975]

Can someone explain the meaning of "omnipotent" to me? I have never heard that word before and when I look it up online it gets really confusing.

[Azakel]

Originally Posted by enchanted_one1975

Can someone explain the meaning of "omnipotent" to me? I have never heard that word before and when I look it up online it gets really confusing.

'Having unlimited or universal power, authority, or force; all-powerful'
(Think the Christian god)

To answer the OP, no I do not believe the god/goddess are Omnipotent. Some might be more powerfully then others, but none are Omnipotent.

[Gentoo]

No, I don't think so either..

[enchanted_one1975]

I would say They are almost omnipotent. Not quite though. I do believe in a "family tree" type system for the Gods and Goddesses though. If One were to be omnipotent it would be the One at the top. Who this is depends on which culture's Gods and Goddesses are in question, but it would be the One who created "all," including the creation of the other Gods and Goddesses.